Larger BBB â­ subcontrabass tubas exist, but are extremely rare (there are at least four known examples). The first two were built by Gustave Besson in BBB â­ , one octave below the BB â­ Contrabass tuba, on the suggestion of John Philip Sousa. The monster instruments were not completed until just after Sousa's death.
The Social Security Administration has announced the 2017 Social Security benefit amounts, and the maximum withholding change for 2017. The maximum taxable earnings for Social Security withholding for 2017 are $127,200. This maximum is up from $118,500 for 2016 and 2015. Medicare withholding has no maximum. The maximum withholding amount is adjusted each year by a formula based on cost of living increases.
The federal and state income withholding brackets have been revised for 2017. The year 2017 Social Security/OASDI tax rate for employees is 6.2 percent. The Medicare tax rate remains at 1.45 percent. The Social Security/OASDI maximum wage base increases to $127,200 for 2017. There continues to be no cap on the Medicare wage base.